This invention relates to hand tools and implements for clearing ice from eaves, soffits, and roofs, and is more particularly concerned with a tool and technique for safely cutting icicles that may form along the roof of a home or other structure.
During winter, snow that falls on a building roof can melt and run down the edge of the roof, where it re-freezes, forming icicles. These icicles can pose a safety concern for persons or property directly below the eaves of the roof. In addition as the icicles grow they can become quite heavy, and their weight can actually damage the roof or rain gutters. Accordingly, there has been a concern for removing icicles before a dangerous or damaging event occurs. It is common for a homeowner or building maintenance person to try to knock down the icicles with a pole. In some cases persons have used an axe to chop at the ice when the icicle is particularly large. Where the icicle is above the first floor of the building, the can involve chopping at the icicle while standing on a ladder, which is an unsafe practice. However, there has not been a tool devised for attacking icicles, and for removing them in a safe manner.